Door lock



Juil? 13 1.954

DOOR LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheat l Filed June 9, 1948 92 ...m indwyfx July 13, 1954 Filed June 9, 1948 J. H. ROETHEL DOOR LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR.

Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Roethel Engineering Corporation, Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 9, 1948, Serial No. 31,951

8 Claims.

This invention relates to latch mechanism for the swinging doors of various structures. Although a desirable adaptation of the present invention is in connection with the doors of vehicle bodies, such as automobile bodies, the invention may be applied to other uses.

An object of the invention is to provide a door latch mechanism which is relatively simple and compact in construction, efficient and positive in operation. economical to manufacture in large quantities, extremely quiet in operation when closing the door, and easy to release when opening the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved door latch mechanism embodying a fully rotatable latch device together with a fully rotatable detent engaging member by which the latch device is positively held through the medium of a detent or dog in any position to which it may be rotated. The latch device is preferably formed as a toothed member which, when the detent is disengaged, is unrestrained against rotation in any direction, yet which will rotate into locking relation to its striker regardless of the position to which the latch device is turned.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved latch mechanism having a rotatable latch formed peripherally with tooth-like projections engageable with a toothed or rack-type striker preferably formed to provide two locking positions for the latch, i .e. a safety locking position and a final locking position, the latch being positively held in either latching position by means of a detent, dog or the like engageable with a rotatable member fixed to the latch and carrying detent engaging portions corresponding in number to the number of tooth-like projections on the latch.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention herein illustrated the latch mechanism preferably comprises a rotatable latch device having tooth-like projections and a rotatable member xed to the latch device having detent engaging portions. The latch device is rotatably mounted on the .main portion of a support adapted to be disposed at the jamb of the door, this main portion being provided with an inner angularly directed ange. The latch device is releasably held in door latching position by detent means pivotally mounted on the main portion of the support. The detent means may be disengaged from the detent engaging portions of the rotatable latch member by means of vertically swingable link means pivotally connected at its outer enfi to an outer manually operable swingable release lever pivoted adjacent its lower end to the main portion of the support. This link .means is normally connected adjacent its inner end to the detent means and, when shifted transversely of the door toward the support flange upon swinging the upper part of the release lever toward the support flange, is effective to disengage the detent means from the detent engaging portions of the latch member. Inner manually operable means is mounted on the support flange and is operable to swing the link means vertically into a position in which the link means is ineifective to disengage the detent means from the detent engaging portions of the rotatable latch device. In accordance with another embodiment herein illustrated the link means is adapted to be restored to its operative position with respect to the detent means by rotation of the rotatable latch member upon closing the vehicle door. This is accomplished by providing a projecting part or cam portion on the link means which, when the link means has been swung vertically to disconnect the same from the detent means, will be engaged by one of the detent engaging portions of the rotatable latch device upon rotation of the latter thereby resultingr in restoring the link means to its effective Dosition.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciiication wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of an automobile body provided with swinging doors upon which latch devices made in accordance with the present invention are installed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially through lines 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, the latch device in this view being shown in its final locking position.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially through lines 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially through lines 4 4 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially through lines 5 5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation, in part similar to Fig. 3, illustrating more fully the remote control mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a view generally similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the detent release lever disconnected from the detent.

Fig. 8 is a view in part similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modification.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawings there are illustrated, by way of example, certain embodiments of the present invention as applied to the doors and door frame structures of an automobile body. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the automobile body, designated generally at A, is .provided with a front door` B which is hinged at its front edge so as to swing against a door post or body pillar in accordance with conventional practice. The automobile body of the illustrated type is also provided with a rear swinging door C. Each door comprises an outer metal door panel 23 and an inner metal door panel 2i, see Fig. 2. The panel 2l terminates in a transverse jamb edge or portion 22 facing the fixed jamb face or edge 23 (Fig. 6) of the door frame post or body pillar.

Adapted to be secured, as by means of screws, to the inner side of the jamb portion 22 of the door is a case plate 2t havingI a ange 25 engaging the inner door panel 2i. The present latch device is provided with a rotatable toothed latch or bolt 2d positioned at the outer face of the case plate 2li, this latch having an integral projecting stud shaft or pivot Si? extending through an aperture in the case plate and having a bearing in the annular flanged edge 2% of this aperture, see 1Figs. 3 and 5. The inner reduced end Zia of the stud 2l is attened and rigidly anchored within an aperture in a rotatable detent engaging latch carrying plate or member 2Q, this member bearing against embossments on the case plate 2li so as to minimize frictional resistance. From the foregoing construction it will be seen that the toothed latch 2E is rigidly secured to the detent engaging member 2S, being concentric therewith on the stud 2.

The rotatable latch 26 is formed with a number of radially projecting tooth-like projections 33, such as sin, which are spaced equally entirely around the periphery of the latch so as to provide in effect a gear type latch. rlhe detent engaging plate or member 29 is formed around its periphery with a number of abutments or shoulders 3i which .correspond in number to the num .'.V

ber of tooth-lilac projections 30. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment the latch 26 has, for eX- ample, siny tooth-like projections Si? and the detent engaging plate 29 has six equally spaced detent engaging abutments or shoulders 3i. periphery or" the plate 28 between the adjacent shoulders or abutments 3i is formed with inclined and preferably curved camming surfaces 32, each surface connecting the outer edge of one shoulder Si with the bottom edge of an adjacent shoulder.

Cooperable with the peripheral notched edge of the plate 29 is a swinging detent, pawl or dog 33 pivotally mounted at its outer end upon the shank of a stud er shoulder rivet 34 secured to the case plate 24. The detent or dog 33 is provided with an upwardly projecting detent or dogging portion 33a engageable successively with the shoulders or abutments 3l of the plate 2t upon rotation thereof in unison with the toothed latch or bolt 2S. It will be understood that when the latch 26 is in either one of its safety or nal locking positions, as hereinafter described, the detent portion 230. will be in engagement with an abutment Sl so as to lock the plate 29 as well as The 5t the latch 25 against turning. Associated with the detent arm 33 is a detent actuating or release lever 35 having its lower end contacting the face of the detent arm and pivotally mounted upon the stud. or shoulder rivet 34 so as to swing freely thereon. The detent arm and the detent release lever 35 are thus free to swing independently upon the pivot or stud 34.

Pivoted at 36 to the side of the detent release lever 35 at an intermediate point thereof is a detent operating link 3l, this link being mounted so as to swing vertically toward and from the detent arm 33. The link 3'! is formed near its inner end at the lower edge thereof with an abutment or shoulder 38 adapted to engage a lugor tongue 39 projecting laterally from the upper edge of the detent arm 33. The inner end 31a of the link 3l beyond the abutment 3B extends across the portion 33h of the detent arm 33. It will be apparent from the construction thus far described that with the parts shown in the position shown in Fig. 2 the detent release lever 35 is .positively connected to the detent arm 33 through the medium of the releasable connection 38, 39 between the link 3'. and the detent arm, and this connection is maintained during all normal operation of the lock.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2 it will be seen that upon swinging the release lever 3 inwardly the detent 33 will be swung downwardly through the connecting link so as to disengage the detent portion 33a from any one of the abutments 3! on the plate 253. The detent arm 33 is yieldingly urged toward the plate 2S by means of a spring it which is coiled around the stud 3d, the inner end of the spring being anchored to a lug 33o on the detent arm and the outer end of the spring being anchored to a lug lil on the case plate. The detent release lever 35 is urged toward its retracted position, as shown in Fig. 2, by means of a spring 42. The spring 42 has an upper spirally wound or coiled portion anchored to a stud 43 riveted to the case plate 24. This spring has a downward extension 42a engageable with a widened iiange 35a on the lever 35. This widened flange portion is adapted to be engaged by a plunger "Sli which may be shifted inwardly to swing the lever 35 by any suitable manually operable means on the outside of the door such, for example, as a pull out handle i5 er by any other preferred means such as a push button carried by the outside door handle or otherwise mounted on the door.

The latch device constructed in accordance with the present embodiments incorporates a remote control mechanism so constructed as to permit release or disengagement of the detent 33 by operation of the inside door handle independently of the release lever 35 and regardless of whether the latter is connected to or disconnected from the detent 33 through the .medium of the link 31. This remote control mechanism is preferably manually actuated from the inside of the door remote from the case plate 2&3 by means of a door handle which may be turned in the desired direction. Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 6, the remote control mechanism comprises a bell crank or two arm lever .llt pivoted at 4l through the medium of a shoulder rivet to the case plate flange 25. The bell crank E has a longitudinally extending arm 43a overlying at its outer end an upward extension 33d of the detent arm 33, see Fig. 2. The bell crank fit also has a depending lever arm del; pivotally connected at 48 to the forward end of a remote control link 49 which at its opposite end is pivoted at 55 to the lower end of a swinging lever This lever is attached to the shank or shaft 52 of the inner door handle, this shaft being journalled in a mounting plate 53 and bracket 53a attached thereto, the mounting plate being secured to the inner door panel at the desired distance from the case plate 24. rPhe upper end 5m of Jrhe lever 5I is provided with a notch 54 within which is received the partially coiled end 55a of a tension spring 55 secured at 56 to the bracket 53a. The construction is such that the inner door handle may be swung from a vertical position in order to swing the lever 5| in a corresponding direction. The spring 55 functions to return the inner door handle to its normal vertical position after the door handle has been released.

With the detent 33 in locking engagement with the latch carrying plate turning of the inside door handle in one direction to depress the bell crank arm a will result in engagement of this arm with the upper edge of the extension 33d of the detent arm, thereby swinging this arm downwardly so as to disengage the detent portion 33a, from the shoulder or abutment 3|. When this occurs the latch 26 as Well as the plate 2S are free to turn and hence the door may be pulled open without appreciable effort.

In the present embodiments means is provided for disconnecting the operating link 3l and release lever 35 from the detent 33 and also for effecting the operative connection of these parts through the medium of a manually operable slide which may be shifted either by hand or by operation of the inside door handle or by a key operated lock. The extension 31a of the operating link 3l projects into a flanged aperture 5l in a vertically shiftable slide bar 58. This aperture is formed with an upper flanged portion 59 overlying the link extension Sla and with a lower :dange 5i! underlying this extension, the flanges and 60 being spaced apart to permit the desired amount of lost motion relative to the link extension 31a. when the slide bar 58 is shifted vertically in one direction or the other. It will be noted from Figs. 2 and 7 that the upper flange portion 59 lies in the path of the lever arm 6.1511. The slide bar 58 is guided for up and down movement upon the case plate ange 25 by means of a headed stud 5| engageable within a vertical guide slot 52 in the slide. The slide 58 is formed at its upper end with spaced lugs 63 and 5t which receive the round end 55 of a rock arm or lever 55 pivcted at 5l' to the case plate flange 25. rhe end of the lever remote from the rounded portion 85 is pivotally connected at 58 to a vertically shiftable rod or plungerV 59 which extends upwardly through the garnish molding at the inner side of the glass panel of the door. This rod carries at its upper end a knob l@ which may be grasped to shift the plunger vertically in either direction. From the foregoing construction it will be apparent that by pressing the button or knob 'f downwardly the lever 55 will 'be rocked thereby raising the slide 58, and conversely when the rod 59 is pulled upwardly the slide 58 will be shifted downwardly. The slide is yieldingly held and urged toward its upper and lower limits of movement by means of a suitable snap over spring 'll attached at one end to the slide and at the opposite end to the case plate flange 25. Assuming that the link 3l' is in its latch connecting position shown in Fig. 2, downward shifting of the plunger S9 accompanied by upward shifting of the slide 53 will bring the fiange 50 of the slide into engagement with the underside of the link extension 31a, the nal upward movement of the slide resulting in lifting the link 3l to the position shown in Fig. 7 thereby disengaging the shoulder 38 on the link from the lug 39 on the detent arm 33. When this occurs it will be apparent that the release lever 35 may be pushed inwardly freely without disengaging the detent from the plate 29, since by this inward motion of the lever 35 the link 37 Will be free to move inwardly relative to the detent 33 without imparting any disengaging motion thereto.

With the link 31 disengaged from the detent 33 in the manner shown in Fig. '7 the slide 58 may be shifted downwardly thereby causing the link to swing downwardly both by gravity and by contact of the ange 59 with the extension Ella. of the link, resulting in again connecting the link 3l with the detent arm 33 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The slide 58 may be returned downwardly from its position shown in Fig. 7 to its position shown in Fig. 2, accompanied by downward movement of the link 3l into engagement with the detent arm 33 by swinging the inner door handle so as to rock the bell crank lever 56 and shift the lever arm lita downwardly. It will be noted from Fig. 7 that the flange 59 on the slide lies closely adjacent the lower edge of the lever arm 55a. Hence, when this lever arm is shifted downwardly,7 from its position in Fig. l by turning the inside door handle it will engage the flange 55 and force the slide 58 downwardly until it reaches its position shown in Fig. 2. This operation results in downward movement of the link 31 to its detent connesting position shown in Fig. 2. As the lever arm 56a Swings downwardly, thereby shifting the slide 58 downwardly, it engages the upper edge of the detent arm extension 33d and, hence, swings the detent arm downwardly so as to disengage the same from the plate 29.

Where a key controlled device is used with the present embodiments the slide 58 is provided with a depending extension 55a to which is pivoted at l2 the outer end of a swinging crank arm 73 pivoted to a bracket 74 on the case plate and provided with a square opening at the locality of its pivot to receive the square portion 'l5 of a key actuated shaft. This shaft is connected to the cylinder mechanism of any conventional lock having the usual key control. By turning the key in the lock in the outside of the door the crank arm 13 may be swung to shift the slide 58 vertically in one direction or the other either to shift the detent operating link 3l to its disengaged position shown in Fig. 7 or to its engaged position shown in Fig. 2. The key control means for the slide 58 is usually embodied in the front door locks of an automobile body but is usually omitted from the locks used on the rear doors.

In the present embodiments of the invention the rotary toothed latch 25 is actuated when the door is closed by means of a striker or keeper device which is rigidly mounted on the .lamb edge 23 of the body pillar or fixed upright member of the door frame. In the present instance the striker device comprises a body member "i5 which maybe in the form of a die casting or, if desired, a stamping, this member being secured to the body pillar by means of screws ll. The striker body 15 is formed at its lower edge with depending tooth-like projections, such as the three projections or teeth '58, '15 and 8l? shown in Fig. 4. These projections have tapered surfaces and are spaced apart to provide tooth spaces `8l and 82 within which the teeth 3i) of the rotary latch are adapted to mesh when the door is closed. Cooperable with the upper inclined surface '16a of the striker body 1E is a guide or so-called dovetail member 83 which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, projects through an opening in the case plate 24 and is formed with innei` lianges 83a rigidly secured, as by spot welding, to the inner face of the case plate. It will be understood that when the door is closed the guide or dovetail member 83 engages and slides over the inclined surface 76a, of the striker body and cooperates with the latch 26 to clamp or hold the door firmly in position against vertical movements during operation of the vehicle.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the toothed latch 26 as well as the member 2! is fully rotatable and, when in non-latching position with respect to the striker 15, is restrained only by the detent 33. Thus, when the door is open the latch 26 may be turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, against the effort exerted by the spring 40 on the detent 33, and when so rotated the detent portion 33a will ride successively over the camming surfaces 32 and will successively engage the shoulders or abutments 3l. Furthermore, if the release member 35 is pressed inwardly when the door is open to disengage the detent, the latch 26 and plate 29 will be freely rotatable.

rlhe relation of the teeth or projections 36 on the latch EG with the teeth 'ES-SU on the striker body is such that the latch will move into latching engagement with the striker regardless of the position to which the latch has been rotated. When the door is closed one of the teeth Si! will rst engage the outer inclined surface of the tooth 'I8 which will then rotate the latch so as to mesh the next succeeding tooth in the tooth space 8l, as shown in dotted lines in Fig, 4. In this position of the parts the latch is in safety position and the door will be positively locked against any possibility of opening regardless of whether or not the door is moved to its fully closed position. After the latch has reached its safety position further closing movement of the door will result in a further rotative motion cf the latch and will mesh a succeeding tooth thereof in the tooth space 82, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4. At this time the door will be fully closed and the latch will be in its nal locking position. It will be noted that when the latch is in its safety position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the dovetail member 83 will be in its dotted line position shown in this figure, and due to the inclined surface '56a a certain amount of vertical play is allowed between the rdovetail member and the striker body so as to cause the door to rattle during operation of the vehicle and, therefaire, warn the operator that the door is not fully closed. However, when in the safety position the tooth of the latch will extend well into the tooth space 8l and thus prevent accidental opening of the door.

The latch device illustrated in the modication of Fig. 8 is in all respects the same as the device shown and described in connection with l to 7 inclusive, differing therefrom only in the provision of a kick-out to ensure connection of the link 37 with the detent arm 33- when the door is closed. In the present instance this kickout comprises a downward projection 8l! on the link 3? which is formed at its lower edge with a lateral curved flange or projection 85 extending into the path of any one of the cam surfaces 32 on plate 29 when the link 37 has been .swung upwardly to disengaged position by means of the slide 58, such position being shown in Fig. 7. Thus, in the event the slide 58 is shifted upwardly when the door is opened and then the door is swung to closed position, rotation of the plate 2S will cause one of the cam surfaces 32 to engage the projection on link 3l and by camming action swing the link down to the position shown in Fig. 8. Thus, with this construction, particularly when used on a front door having a key actuated lock, it is necessary to lock the door with the key after the door has been closed. This differs from the previous embodiment in which, when the door is open, the slide 58 may be shifted upwardly to disengage the link 3'! from the detent arm, so that when the door is then closed it will be locked by engagement of the detent portion 33a with one of the shoulders 3l and cannot be opened by actuation of the release lever 35,

I claim:

l. In a latch device for a swinging door, a support, a rotatable latch mounted on said support and having tooth-like projections equally spaced around the periphery thereof, a rotatable member xed to said latch and having detent engaging portions corresponding in number to said projections, a pivoted detent engageable successively with said portions, a swingable detent release member adapted to be operated from the outside of the door, means for operatively connecting said release member and detent and adapted to be disconnected from the latter, said means including a swingable element which, when said release member and detent are disconnected, has a portion disposed in the path of a portion of said rotatable member whereby upon rotation of the latter said portions will abut and shift said element to move its said portion out of the path of said portions of the rotatable member and restore the connection between said release member and detent.

2. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a main portion for disposition at the jamb of the door and provided at its inner edge with a flange, a rotatable latch mounted on said main portion and having tooth-like projections equally spaced around the periphery thereof, a rotatable member fixed to said latch and having detent engaging portions, corresponding in number to said projections, detent means pivotally mounted on the main portion. and engageable successively with said detent engaging portions for holding the rotatable member and therefore the rotatable latch in door latch'- ing position, outer manually operable means mounted on said main portion and having a part swingable toward said flange, vertically swingable link means pivotally connected at the outer end thereof with said outer manually operable means, means for operatively associating link means with said detent means, said link means being shiftable transversely of the door toward said flange upon actuating said cuter operable means to swing its said. part toward said flange, and inner manually operable means mounted on said flange and effective to swing said link means vertically into a position whereby the link means is ineffective to disengage said detent means from said rotatable member detent engaging portions.

3. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support, a rotatable latch mounted on said supin'l 9 port and having tooth-like projections equally spaced around the periphery thereof, a rotatable member xed to said latch and having detent engaging portions corresponding in number to said projections, detent means pivotally mounted on the support and engageable successively with said portions, a link mounted to swing in a gen" erally vertical direction and to shift bodily in a generally horizontal direction to abut and thereu by disengage the detent means from said detent engaging portions, means for bodily shifting said link in said generally horizontal direction, and manually operable means for swinging said link in said generally vertical direction into a posie tion in which said link is ineective to disengage said detent means from the detent engaging portions, said link when in said ineffective position having a part thereof engageable by said rotatable member upon rotation thereof to swing said link toward its eiective position.

4. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support, a latch device rotatably mounted on the support, detent means pivotally connected to the support and engageable with said latch device to hold it in latching position, outer manually operable means including a swinging link connection with said detent means for disengaging the detent means from said latch device, inner manually operable means for swinging said linl; connection thereby to disconnect said outer manually operable means from the detent means, and means on said swinging link connection which, when the latter has been swung to disconnect the outer manually operable means from the detent means, is engageable by a portion of i said rotatable latch device upon rotation thereof whereby the swinging link connection will be swung into a position in which the connection between said outer manually operable means and the detent means is restored.

5. 1n a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the door jamb and having a flange extending angularly from said plate portion, a latch device pivotally mounted on said plate portion having a peripheral series of tooth-like abutments, detent means pivotally mounted on said plate portion and engageable successively with said abutments for holding said latch device in door latching position, manually operable means for pivotally actuating said detent means to thereby disengage the latter from said latch device and including a member swingable into a position to prevent disengagement of said detent means, inner manually operable means for swinging said member into said position thereby to dispose a part of said member in the path of one of said abutments, said part being engageable by said abutment upon rotation of said latch device to swing said swingable member out of said position.

6. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the door jarnb and having a flange extending angularly from said plate portion, a latch device pivotally mounted on said plate portion having a peripheral series of tooth-like abutments, detent means pivotally mounted on said plate portion and engageable successively with said abutments for holding said latch device in door latching position, manually operable means for pivotally actuating said detent means to thereby disengage the latter from said latch device, said manually operable means including a lever having a common pivot with said detent means, a pivotally mounted member swingable into a position to prevent disengagement of said detent means, and inner manually operable means for swinging said member into said position thereby to dispose a part of said member in the path of one of said abutments, said part being engageable by said abutment upon rotation of said latch device to swing said swingable member outl of said position.

'7. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the door jamb and having a flange extending angularly from said plate portion, a latch device pivotally mounted on said plate portion and having a peripheral series of tooth-like abutments, detent means, pivot means swingably mounting said detent means on said plate portion, said detent means being engageable successively with said abutments for holding said latch device in door latching position, an outer manually operable lever pivotally mounted on said pivot means, a member pivotally connected to said lever for swinging movement and movably positioned to engage said detent means and disengage the same from said latch device upon pivotally actuating said lever, inner manually operable means for swinging said member into a position in which said member is ineffective to eiect disengagement of said detent means, said member having a part movable into the path of one of said abutments when said member is disposed in said position and being engageable by said abutment upon rotation of said latch device to swing said member out of said position.

8. 1n a latch mechanism, a rotatable latch member formed around its periphery with a number of detent engaging shoulders, the periphery of the member between the adjacent shoulders being formed with inclined camming surfaces, each camming surface connecting the outer edge of one shoulder with the bottom edge of an adjacent shoulder, detent means engageable with any one of said shoulders to hold the latch member in door latching position, manually operable means for disengaging the detent means from said latch member and including a pivoted member having a part normally disposed in abutting relation to a part of said detent means, means for swinging said pivoted member to position said parts out of abutting relation thereby to prevent disengagement of said detent means, said pivoted member when in said position having a part thereof engageable with one of said latch member camming surfaces whereby upon rotation of said latch member said part and camming surface will coact to swing said pivoted member out of said position and thereby restore the effectiveness of said manually operable means to disengage the detent means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,191,625 Rightmyer Feb. 27, 1940 2,221,181 Dall Nov. 12, 1940 2,231,075 Lakin Feb. 11, 1941 2,249,018 Marple et al July 15, 1941 2,341,416 Anderson et al Feb. 8, 1944 2,362,256 Endter Nov. 7, 1944 2,499,111 Roethel Feb. 28, 1950 

